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Three suspected Isil jihadists from the former Soviet Union have been identified as being responsible for the attack on Istanbul airport, which left 43 dead and 230 injured.

One of the bombers was named by officials as Chechen Osman Vadinov, who crossed into Turkey from Raqqa, the Islamic State’s stronghold in northern Syria, last month.

The trio were reported to have been part of a seven-person cell who entered the country on May 25.

It is thought they were commanded by Akhmed “One Handed” Chatayev, a veteran of the second Chechen war who Russian security services named last year as one of the key commanders amongst the former Soviet contingent inside Isil.

There are estimated to be as many as 5,000 jihadists from Russia’s North Caucasus fighting with Isil in Syria and Iraq, many of whom veterans of the separatist Chechen war. They have a reputation as being some of their most fearless, battle-hardened fighters.

While Isil is yet to claim responsibility, Binali Yildirim, Turkey’s prime minister, said evidence was growing that the extremist group was behind the attack.

Investigators are carrying out DNA tests on the bombers’ remains, but if confirmed it would be the first attack on foreign targets by Chechen and central Asian jihadists on behalf of the Islamic State.

Mr Yildirim speculated whether the suspects; a Chechen from Russia, an Uzbek and a Kyrgyzstan national, carried out the triple suicide bombing in response to Turkey’s renewed relations with Russia.

The attack took place hours after the two countries agreed to mend ties, which had been strained since Ankara shot down a Russian warplane taking part in its military campaign in Syria late last year.

However, terrorism experts were doubtful this was the motive, pointing instead to Isil’s repeated threats to target Turkey and the country’s recent crackdown on militants at the border.

Police on Thursday detained 13 people, three of them foreigners, in dawn raids across Istanbul in connection with the attack, the deadliest in a series of suicide bombings in Turkey this year.

"Earlier today, the police raided 16 locations to detain 13 ISIS suspects, including three foreign nationals," one official confirmed.

One of the suicide bomber at Istanbul Ataturk International Airport on the security cameraCredit:
REX

Police say they found three hunting rifles and documents relating to the Islamic State group.

The suspects were reportedly in contact with Isil militants in Syria and were engaged in "activities that were in line with the organisation's aims and interests," including providing financial sources, recruits and logistical support.

ISIS releases pic to celebrate two years since declaring the Caliphate. Note presence of covert units in Turkey. pic.twitter.com/0Thwo5EpRK

Turkey has cracked down on Isil sleeper cells at home after a string of deadly attacks blamed on the jihadists, who have seized swathes of land in Iraq and Syria, right up to the Turkish border.

Isil on Wednesday released an infographic to celebrate the second anniversary of its self-proclaimed caliphate, in which claimed to have "covert units" in Turkey and other countries.

Islamic State, however, rarely claims attacks in Turkey. One possible reason is a reluctance to be seen as killing fellow Muslims, said Anthony Skinner, director of the analyst group Verisk Maplecroft.